Motion picture projector



Nov. 13, 1945. R. J.. MILLER 2,388,794

- `MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR.

v Filed .June 17, 1942 15H 5 IWI-wlw IN V EN TOR.

Patented Nov. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES' armi OFFICE Detroit, Mich., a copartnershp composed `of said Miller and Alfred E. Wilson Application June 17, 1942, Serial No. 447,344

7 Claims.

This invention relates to motion picture `projectors and more particularly to an intermittence drive mechanism for intermittently aligning successively spaced lm frames with an aperture formed in an aperture plate whereby images may be projected from the nlm to a screen positioned at a distance from the projector whereby the images may be viewed.

Heretofore considerable difculty has been experienced with intermittent drive means for motion picture projectors in that in order to service or repair the intermittence movement it was necessary to virtually dismantle the entire projector, and no means were provided to enable the intermittent drive mechanism to be'replaced inV the projector in 'such a manner that it would be in synchronization with the shutter operating means. Additional difficulties arose by reason of the 4fact that the parts of the intermittent drive mechanism would wear unevenly whereby `frequent adjustments were necessary in order to provide a smooth operating and quiet intermittent film drive mechanism.

An object of this invention is to provide a unitary intermittent drive mechanism removable from and replaceable in the projector as a unit in such a manner that synchronization between the intermittence movement and the shutter driving mechanism is at all times maintained.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved intermittence drive mechanism having readily operable adjustment means to accurately align the spaced driving means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an intermittence driving mechanism which can be assembled in a motion picture projector in only one .predetermined adjusted position whereby synchronization of the intermittence drive means with the shutter operating mechanism is insured.

A further object resides in the provision of a unitary self-contained intermittence movement having means whereby the movable parts of the mechanism are thoroughly lubricated at all times.

Yet a still further object is to provide an intermittence driving mechanism wherein a nywheel is interposed in the driving system and isolated therefrom by a vibration dampener to substantially damp vibrations and oscillations and prevent them from being exerted back on the gear train.

Still a further object is to provide vertically and laterally adjustable constant speed and intermittently driven shafts operably connected through a Geneva movement offset from the:

tently driven mechanism wherein substantiallyY the entire wear of the intermittent drive maybe concentrated on relatively closely spaced mem. bers having vertically and axially movable adjust# ing means to compensate wear of the movable parts. Other objects and advantages of this invention' will be apparent'from the following detailed defscription considered in connection with the ac-' companying drawing, submitted'for purposes of illustration only, and not intended to denethe scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoine'd claims.

\ In the drawing wherein similar reference lcharacters refer to similar parts throughout the several views: f Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a motion picture projector embodying the present invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction'of l the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line'3-3 of Fig. l, looking in thev directionof the arrows. y

Fig. 4 is also a sectional view taken substantially on the line lf-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially Aon the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. n

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a portion of the projector embodying a modified form of oil sealing mechanism. f

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corrugated spring member adapted for use in mounting the intermittence movement in the projector.

Fig. Sis an end elevation of a driving member between a driving shaft and a ywheel of the intermittence movement.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the drive mechanism of Fig. 8.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited in its application to the detailsyof construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. .Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for Athe purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be observed that the invention is illustrated as embodied in a motion picture projector having a main casing I separated by an intermediate wall I 2 into mechanism and lil-m compartments I4 and I6 respectively. The mechanism compartment I4 is closed by a back cover plate I8 and the iilmY compartment I6 may be closed by a hinged access door to permit the operator to thread'` film 22 into the projector.

The film 22 may be propelled through the projector by film driving sprockets and an intermittently driven sprocket 26` to align succes'- sively spaced film frames with an aperture 24. The lm 22 is'preferably a flexible strip of celluloid or other suitable material, and may be provided with apertures 23 formed adjacent its marginal edges to receive driving teeth 21 of a sprocket26-` It has been found that best results are obtained from the sound equipment now conven` rateof speed the intermittence drive sprocket 26 must be actuated 1440 times per minute. The sprocket 26 preferably has. sixteen driving teeth 21 to move. four film frames each time the sprocket makes a complete revolution. It is Vnecessary that the sprocketV 26 be moved through a quarter of a revolution each time-it is actuated to align the next succeeding lm frame with the aperture 24. The sprocket `26 must therefore make six complete revolutions per second or it mustr be actuated through a complete cycle in M24 of a second.l

' In view of the. fact that an'interval of time is required to actuate the sprocket 26 and move the. film, the cyclebf operationY of the intermittently driven sprocket 26'must be further subdivided. Good results are obtained where this cycle of 17in of a second has been divided into five substantially equally spaced time intervals of 1,620 of a second each. One of these time intervals of V120 of 'a second may be utilized to actuate the intermittence drivesprocket 26 to align the next succeeding lrnr frame with the aperture 24 and the film frame may be maintained in aligmnentwith the aperture 24 the remaining 4,420 of a second of eachA interval of 1%4 of a second to permit projecting light from a suitable light source to pass through the aperture 24 to project images from the-film 22 'onto the screen.

Inview of the fact that the sprocket 26 and the lm 22 must thus be' started and stopped quickly many times per second, high inertia and mediate wall I2.

The intermittently driven sprocket 26 may be actuated by means of an intermittence movement 30 preferably mounted as a unit in the inter- The intermittence movement may be driven from a shaft 32 journalled in a gear train carrier 34 as more clearly disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 447,252, med June ie, 1942.

The intermittence movement 3U is positioned in a casing 36 having front and back walls 38 and 46 respectively separated by an axial flange or cylinder 42. 1 The back wall 40 may be secured to the flange or cylinder 42 by means of a plurality of' spaced screws projecting through the back wall 40 into the cylinder 42.

The casing 36 housing the intermittence movement may be removably positioned in a carrier formed of a cylinder 44 having a radially extending flange 46 adapted to engage the intermediate wall I2 preferably on the film compartment side. A seal 48 may be provided to seal the space between the'lange4 46 and the intermediate'wall I2.

A ring 56 may be threaded `on the carrier cylinder 44 from the mechanism compartment side. A spring 52 preferably of the corrugated type as illustrated in Fig. '7 may be interposed between the threaded ring 50 and the intermediate wall I2 to provide a self-compensating sliding fit between the ring and wall.

The ring 50 may be securely clamped to the cylinder 44 of the carrier in any adjusted position by means of a screw 54 clamping separated segments 56 of the ring 50 into clamping engagement with the threads of the cylinder 44 of the carrier. A

The casing `36 `may be releasably maintained in the cylinder 44 of the carrier by means of a plurality of spaced screws 58 threaded into the carrier cylinder 44. The front wall 38 is provided with spaced axially extending slots 60 to permity the casing 36v to be removed from the cylinder 44 of the carrier when it is oscillated therein to align the slots 60 with the heads of the screws 58. In the locked position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 the heads of the screws 5tv lie within countersunk portions 62 formed in the front lwall '38 of thel casing 36. An undercut portion 64 may be vprovided between the slots 60' and the countersunk portions 62 to permit oscillation of the carrier 36 without completely removing the screws 56.

The intermittence movement may thus be readily removed from the projector from the film compartment side without removing the carrier 44or disturbing the adjusted position of the ring 5I) on the cylinder 46 clamping the carrier to the intermediate wall I2 of'the projector,

The intermittence movement comprises a drive shaft 66 journalled in ball bearings 68 and 'I0 on opposite ends of the shaft 66, The gear train carrier 34 is provided with an inwardly directed flange 12 againstf which the bearing 'In abuts to maintain it in a predetermined axial position. The shaft 66 is provided' with a gear 'I4 meshing with a gear 16 xedto the shaft 32 in the gear train carrier 34. Spaced collars 'I3 and 80 are interposed between the gear 'I4 and the bearings 68 and 'I0 to maintain the assembly in a predetermined lateral spaced relation;

The driving shaft 66 is operably connected with a iiywheel 82 through suitablev driving means 84. The driving means 84 is preferably such that the flywheel 82 will be assembled in apredetermined angular relation relative to the driving shaft 66 when assembled therewith. AThe shaft 66 may as illustrated in-Fig. 2 have spaced driving flanges 86 adapted to `engage within cooperating slots in a. member 88 secured to the flywheel 82 as by a press fit into the end thereof.

The flywheel 82 may be provided with a gear 90 located internally of the flywheel 82 and secured thereto and to a flywheel shaft 92 by a suitable key locking all three members together.

The flywheel shaft 92 may be rotatably mounted in the back Wall 40of the intermittence casing 36. The shaft 92 is journalled in an elongated bushing'94 mounted .in the back wal1 40 of the intermittence casing 36, and is provided with a flange 96 to engage the inner end of the bushing. Axial adjustment of the flywheel shaft 92 relative to the back wall 40 and bushing 94 may be effected' by means of a screw 96 projecting through the member 88 fixed in the end of the flywheel 82, and threaded into the outer end of the flywheel shaft 92, suitable shims 95 being provided to permit accurate adjustment. I

The internal gear 90 carried by the flywheel 82 meshes with a gear |00 fixed to a cam shaft I 02. The cam shaft |02 is journalled in an elongated bushing |04 carried by the back wall 40. The bushings 94 and |04 are carried by a block |06 formed as an integral part of the back wall 40 of the casing 36, A rigid mounting having long bearing surfaces is thus provided for the shafts 92 and |02.

The intermittently driven sprocket 26 is carried by a star shaft |08 and is secured thereto by tapered pins IIO. 'The sprocket carrying shaft I08'is preferably substantially aligned with the flywheel shaft 92, and is journalled in a bushing I I2`and a bushing assembly II4.

The bushing I 2 is carried in a cylindrical body member I|6 interconnected with a body member ||8 by an offset portion positioned outside of the periphery of the sprocket 26. The body portion H8 supports a bearing assembly II4.

Intermittently operating driving means may be interposed between the c-am shaft |02 and the sprocket carrying shaft |08, One desirable form 'of driving means comprises a cam member |20 carried by the cam shaft |02 cooperating with a 'star member |22 carried by the sprocket shaft As more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, the cam member |20 is provided with a raised circular portion |24 adapted to fit into the rounded portions I26 of the star member |22. A pin |28 carried by the cam member |20 is provided to successively engage in slots |30 formed in the star member |22 each time the cam member |20 makes a complete revolution to rotate the star member a quarter.of a revolution moving the ends of the star member into the clearance space |32 between the ends of the circular portion |24 to permit rotation of the star member. Thereafter the cam surface |24 engages the rounded segments |26 of the star member thereby locking it in a fixed position.

Means may be provided to vary the adjustment of the sprocket carrying shaft |08 vertically and axially to adjust 4the position of the star member 22 with reference to the cam member |20, and to prevent weave of the intermittently driven sprocket 26.

An eccentric adjusting ring |34 interposed between tbe body member ||6 and the front wall 68 of the casing 36 may be provided to move the bushing I|2 and'sprocket carrying shaft |08 ver- -tically to vary the vertical adjustment of the star member |22 with referencev to the cam member |20. A screw |36 may be provided to clamp the body member ||6 in any adjusted position to which it i's moved.

`When adjusting the sprocketshaft to vary the vertical clearance between the star and cam members of the Geneva movement the body member I I6 should be held from rotating to avoid changing the contacting or wearing position between the star shaft bushings ||2 and ||4 and the shaft |08. The body member k| I8 supporting the o'uter bearing I|4 being fixed to the body member II6 by an offset arm extending outside of the sprocket 26 will be maintained in alignment with the body member H69 r The axial' position of the shaft |08 and intermittently driven sprocket 26 may be adjusted by means of laminated shims |38 interposed between the body member |I8 and a radially extending flange |40 carried by a sleeve |42 concentrically mounted on a sleeve bearing |43 as by a press fit therewith. Shims |38 may be progressively removed by disassembling the unit by removing screws |45 until a drag is felt to rotation of the sprocket 2'6. One shim may then be replaced and the assembly will haveproper clearance to permit freerunning and t'o prevent lateral weaving of the sprocket 26.

The shafts, bushings and driving star and cam mechanism of the intermittence movement may be lubricated by oil supplied from a conduit |44 positioned to discharge oil into a scoop |46 carried by the back wall 40 of the intermittence casing 36. The oil flows through an aperture |40 4into the interior of the intermittence mechanism to thoroughly lubricate the working parts thereof, and the oil is discharged from the casing through outlet ports |50 communicating with the mechanism compartment. I4 of the projector. An adequate supply of lubricating oil is thus supplied to all of the working 'parts of the intermittence movement at all times that the projector is operatingsince oil is supplied through the conduitl |44 whenever the projector is operating.

The outer bushing assembly I4 between the shaft |08 and the body member IB may be lubricated by oil supplied through an oil cup |52 positioned in a snap cap |54 closing the outer end of the intermittently driven sprocket assembly in the film compartment I6.

The ring 50 threaded onto the cylinder 440| the carrier and locked thereto by a screw 54 is provided with a geared segment |56 adapted to be engaged by a gear carried by a framing shaft whereby the intermittence casing 36 may be oscillated with reference to the intermediate wall I2 to rotate the intermittently driven sprocket 26 to move the film 22 to vary the alignment of film frames with reference to the aperture 24.

The driving means 84 between the driving shaft 66 andthe flywheel 8-2 is such that the intermittently driven sprocket 26 is assembled in svnchronization with the shutterfoperating mechanism also driven by the gearing in the gear train carrier 34. The driving means 84 may thus take the form of a four splined or flanged drivingJr connection to permit mating of the flywheel drive with the shaft 66 in any of four positions, since the intermittence shaft 26 makes one complete revolution each time the flywheel assembly rotates four times. A two splined or flanged driving connection may also be used or the offset driving connection illustrated in Fig. 2 may be Gmployed to permit mating of the driving members in only a single position in a complete revolution.V

;.II desired, a vibration damper or resilient drive may be interposed `in 4the driving connection 84 to prevent vibrations and oscillations of the intermittence movement from being exerted on the driving mechanism housed inthe gear train carrier 34.

One desirable form of resilient drive includes springs |58 carried by lobes |60 carried by the shaft 'BE and having rounded surfaces |62. A driving iiange |54 carried by the member 88 iixed in the end ywheel 82 is adapted to project into the space between the springs |58V to transmit a resilient drive.y

A self-contained intermittence movement is thus provided which may be readily removed from the projector by withdrawing the casing 36 and flywheel`82 through the cylinder 44 of the carrier mounted in the intermediate wall |2 for service or repair. `The movement may then be replaced in the projector without disturbing the synchronized relation of the intermittence driving mechanism with reference to the driving gears and shutter operating mechanism. Since the shutter interrupts the projecting light, it is critical that the intermittence movement be accurately synchronized with the shutter operatingmechanism.

YThe operation of the intermittence movement is as follows: Rotation of the shaft 32 in the gear carrier column 34 is transmitted through the gears 16 and 14 to drive the shaft 66. Rotation of the shaft 6G is transmitted through the driving means 84 to'rotate the flywheel 82 and the gear 90.

Rotation of the gear 90 .is transmitted through the gear to rotate the cam |02 having the cam member |20 nxed thereto. Each time the cam member |20 makes a complete revolution the pin |28 engages withinv one of the grooves |30 of the star member to intermittently cam successively spaced radially extending portions |30 of the star member |22 into the clearance space |32 between the end portions of the raised circular portion |24 of the cam member |20. The intermittently driven sprocket 26 is thus driven a quarter of a revolution each time the cam member |l20 and cam shaft `|02 are rotated one complete revolution.

Variation of the drive may be effected by changingthe number of lobes on the star member or varyingthe size of the intermittently driven sprocket 2E;

A modified form of oil seal is illustrated in Fig. 6 wherein a resilient seal |80 is interposed between the front wall 38 of the intermittence movement and the cylinder 44 of the carrier. A conduit |82 is provided to drain koff any oil seeping through the joint between the cylinder 42 of the front wall 38 and the cylinder 44 into a space 84 between the intermediate wall I2 and the ring 44. A seal |86 may be provided to seai the space between the intermediatev wall I2 and the ring 48, and an angularly disposed port 88 may be provided to drain oil from the space |84 into the mechanism compartment i4. A set screw |95 threaded into the ring 50 engages the threads of the cylinder 44 of the carrier to maintain the parts in assembled relation. A locating dowel |91 carried by the ring 44 projects into a slot formed in the back wall 40 to maintain predetermined alignment between the intermittence movement 30 and the carrier ring 44.

A retaining flange |90 having a threaded portion |92 engaging the ring 44 may be provided with a radially inwardly directed flange |94'to overlie the front wall 38 of the intermittence mechanism as illustrated in lieu of the screws 58 to hold the intermittence movement in its carrier. 1A threaded `plug |96 maybe provided to exert a binding force on the threads to main tain the flange in any adjusted position with reference to the ring 44.

This is a continuation in partof my co-pending application, Serial No, 250,310, iiled January 1 1, 1939, now Patent Number 2,312,663, issued March 2, 1943-.

I claim:

1. In a motion picture projector having a housing, a wall dividing the space within the hous ing into mechanism and lm compartments, an intermittently driven sprocket in the lm compartment, driving means in the mechanism compartment, an intermittence movement interposed between said driving means and intermittently driven sprocket comprising a carrier mounted in the intermediate wall, an intermittence casing having front and back walls, a sprocket carrying star shaft journalledY in the front wall, a flywheel shaft journalled in the back wall, connecting means between the flywheel shaft and the star shaft comprising a, cam shaft journalled in the back wall, a ywheel connected to the iiywheel shaft and having an axially eX- tending flange, connecting means between the flywheel shaft and the cam shaft comprising gears positioned radially inside of the flange of the ywheel, and connecting means between the casing and carrier whereby th'e casing and flywheel may be removed through the carrier vinto the lm compartment.

2. In a motion picture projector having a housing, a wall dividing the space within the housing-into mechanism and nlm compartments, an intermediate carrier journalled in the intermediate wall and comprising a flanged threaded cylinder, a ring threaded on said cylinder, yielding means between the ring and intermediate wall, an oil seal comprising vertically spaced circular seal members interconnected by an angularly disposed oil delivery duct, and an angularly directed oil delivery duct interposed between one of said seal members and the mechanism compartment.

3. In a motion picture projector, a vdriving shaft, an intermittence movement comprising a casing having iront and back Walls, a iiywheel journalled in the back Wall, connecting means between the driving shaft and the liywheel, a gear carried by the nywheel, an intermittently driven sprocket shaft journalled in the front wall and substantially aligned with the ilywheel gear, a cam shaft journalled in the back wall and driven by the iiywh'eel gear, cooperating cam and star intermittent driving means between the cam shaft and the intermittence sprocket shaft, and means Vto adjust the star member vertically with reference to the cam member comprising a cy lindrical body member surrounding the intermittently driven sprocket shaft, an eccentric adjusting ring between the cylindrical body member and the front Wall of th'e casing whereby the body member may be restrained from rotation as the eccentric ring is adjusted to avoid changing the contacting position of the intermittently driven sprocket shaft.

4. An intermittence movement for a motion picture projector comprising a casing having front and back walls, a flywheel having an axially extending flange, an internal gear positioned within said flange, the back wall of the casing having a hub extended toward the flywheel, a countershaft journalled in the hub of the back wall and having extended bearing surfaces therewith, a countershaft gear driven by the internal gear of the flywheel, an intermittence sprocket shaft, and intermittence driving means in the casing.

5. In a motion picture projector having a housing, a wall dividing the space within the housing into mechanism and lm compartments, an intermittence carrier journalled in the intermediate wall and comprising a cylinder having a flange adapted to engage the lm compartment side of the intermediate wall, spaced lm and mechanism compartment closures for the cylinder, cam and star intermittent driving means in the cylinder between film and mechanism compartment closures, means to admit oil from the mechanism compartment to the space within the cylinder, an oil seal between the lm compartment closure and the intermediate wall, and an oil duct interconnecting the space adjacent the oil seal and the mechanism compartment.

6. In a motion picture projector having a housing, a wall dividing the space within the housing into film and mechanism compartments, an intermittently driven sprocket in the film compartment to successively align spaced fllm frames with an aperture, a driving shaft in the mech'anism compartment, an intermittence movement interposed between the driving shaft and the intermittently driven sprocket comprising a carrier including a flanged cylinder adapted to project through said wall, a ring to clamp the cylinder in the wall, yielding means between the ring and the wall to permit oscillation of the cylinder with reference to th'e wall, a removable and replaceable intermittence movement casing having front and Y back walls, connecting means between the casing and carrier whereby the casing may be removably positioned in the carrier in a predetermined position from the lm compartment side, an intermittently driven shaft journalled in the front wall of the casing, connecting means between the intermittently driven sprocket and the intermittently driven shaft, a flywheel shaft journalled in the back wall of the casing, a flywheel carried by said shaft, a, cam shaft journalled in the back wall of the casing, gear means interconnecting the flywheel shaft with one end of the cam shaft, cam and star intermittent driving means between the opposite end of the cam shaft and the intermittently driven shaft, a geared segment on the ring clamped to the cylinder, and means engaging the geared segment of th'e ring to rotate the cylinder in the wall of the housing to vary the adjusted position of spaced film frames relative to said aperture.

7. In a motion picture projector a housing having a wall dividing the space within the housing into film andmechanism compartments, an intermitt'ence movement carrier journalled for oscillation in said wall of the housing, an intermittence casing removably positioned in the carrier in a predetermined position for removal into the lm compartment and having front and back walls, a flywheel shaft journalled in the back wall, an intermittently driven shaft journalled in the front wall, a film driving sprocket fixed to the intermittently driven shaft to successively align spaced lm frames with an aperture in the film compartment, a cam shaft journalled in the back wall, gear means connecting the flywheel shaft with one end of the cam shaft,cam and K RAYMOND J. MILLER. 

